scription of S. Galeottiana, the leaves are noted as long- 
petioled and the flowers are described as purple, while in 
S. polyantha the leaves are drawn as relatively short-petio- 
led and the flowers are described as apparently white. 
However, these discrepancies may be regarded as minor 
differences when compared with the striking similarity 
between the species both from the records of the authen- 
tic material in our collection and from the type descrip- 
tions. 
Thidium lucayanum, of which we have type material, 
differs somewhat from S. polyantha in the form of the lip. 
This segment might be described as lanceolate-elliptic 
and distinctly narrowed at each end. The lip of S.poly- 
antha is more truly lanceolate, less narrowed at the base 
and more attenuate toward the tip. In a large series of 
specimens examined, however, the form of the lip was 
seen to vary as to the degree of narrowing at base and 
apex. No other morphological differences between [bid- 
ium lucayanum and Spiranthes polyantha were noted. 
The generic name Spiranthes is conserved over Salis- 
bury’s Ibidium and Persoon’s Gyrostachis. 
Spiranthes polyantha has appeared in the hammocks 
of southern Florida, in Mexico from numerous stations, 
as well as in the Bahama Islands, Santo Domingo and 
Porto Rico. 
[ 188 | 
